Ruaa Centre Launches Training Course for Community Pioneers on Climate Adaptation in Abyan

Ruaa Centre Launches Training Course for Community Pioneers on Climate Adaptation in Abyan

Ruaa Centre for Strategic Studies, Consultation, and Training launched on Sunday in Abyan Governorate an extensive training course titled “From Fragility to Resilience: Training Community Pioneers to Lead Climate Adaptation in Abyan.”
The program is supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Berghof Foundation, under the supervision of the Political Development Forum.

During the opening ceremony, Dr. Jaklin Mansoor Al-Battani, head of Ruaa Centre, delivered a speech in which she explained that the Centre operates in the fields of environment and culture. She noted that Abyan was chosen for this training because it is one of the most affected areas by climate change. She added that focusing on community pioneer women from local authorities, civil society, and academia stems because of their strong potential to lead adaptation initiatives within their communities and contribute to shaping local climate policies.

For her part, Ms. Manal Mohaim, Coordinator of the Social Cohesion Enhancement Project implemented by the Political Development Forum in Aden and Abyan, stated that this project is part of a comprehensive program to strengthen social cohesion through inclusive mechanisms in the governorate. She emphasized that pioneering women represent a positive and vital force that must be reactivated after a period of decline in community engagement, wishing the participants success in fulfilling their leadership roles.

Meanwhile, Mr. Yahya Al-Yazidi, Director of the Office of Social Affairs and Labor in Abyan, expressed his happiness with the launch of the course and praised its importance in supporting and empowering women to play an active role in serving their communities. He affirmed that Abyan has always been a leader in women’s initiatives, despite the decline in recent years due to the challenges the governorate has faced. He expressed hope that the outcomes of this course would translate into tangible results that contribute to strengthening community resilience and its capacity to face climate challenges.

The five-day training course aims to equip community pioneer women with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead climate adaptation efforts and to enable them to transfer these concepts to their communities—thereby enhancing social resilience and reducing environmental and climate-related risks.

The first day of the course featured a scientific and practical presentation by trainer Yusra Sadiq, who reviewed a range of key environmental and climate concepts, including the most essential principles related to climate and environmental systems.

According to the organizers, the training program will continue over the coming days, covering more in-depth topics such as local adaptation strategies, mechanisms for building community initiatives, and enhancing women’s participation in leading efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change. It will also include practical sessions and applied activities designed to help participants move from theoretical understanding to real-world application.

This course comes as part of the Ruaa Centre’s ongoing efforts to strengthen community adaptation to climate change and to build local networks capable of responding effectively to environmental and humanitarian challenges.

Dr. Jamal Bawazir, Head of the Environmental Protection Unit at Ruaa Center for Strategic Studies, also attended the opening session.